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Mali a’r Goleudy - Malachy Doyle

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Mae rhywbeth o'i le. Mae'r goleudy yn dywyll.

Something's wrong. The lighthouse is in darkness.


Lluniau/illustrations: Andrew Whitson

Addaswyd/adaptation: Anwen Pierce.


Welsh adaptation of 'Molly and the Lighthouse' published by Graffeg.


Gwerth addysgiadol/educational value: ◉◉◉◎◎

Negeseuon positif/positive messages: ◉◉◉◉◎

Themau trist,anodd/upsetting, tough themes: ◎◎◎◎◎

Trais, ofn/violence, scary: ◉◎◎◎◎

Iaith gref/language: ◎◎◎◎◎

Rhyw/sex: ◎◎◎◎◎

Hiwmor/humour: ◎◎◎◎◎

Her darllen/reading difficulty:: ◉◉◎◎◎

Dyfarniad/Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Wedi ei gymeryd o wefan Graffeg.com

Link copied from Graffeg.com


 

Cefais fy magu yn nhref hanesyddol Conwy, ar arfordir Gogledd Cymru ac felly fe fu’r cysylltiad â’r môr yno erioed. Bob dydd wrth deithio i’r gwaith, gallaf weld goleudy Penmon yn sefyll yn gadarn rhwng Ynys Seiriol ac Ynys Môn fel angel gwarcheidiol. Doedd hi fawr o syndod felly, fod llyfr sy’n sôn am y môr yn mynd i apelio’n syth. A hefyd - mae ‘na jest rywbeth rhyfeddol am oleudai- ‘da chi’n cytuno?


Spread from 'Mali a'r Goleudy' illustrations by (c) Andrew Whitson, words by (c) Malachy Doyle, published by Graffeg.

Yn gyntaf, rhaid sôn am y clawr a’r arlunwaith. Mae darluniau Andrew Whitson yn hudolus ac yn gelfydd. Mae dyfnder i’r gwaith a dwi’n sicr y bydd plant yn mwynhau eu hastudio ac ymgolli ym myd morwrol Mari. Ar ôl darllen y stori’r tro cyntaf, mi es i’n ôl eilwaith i gael ail-fwynhau’r lluniau hardd.

Mae Mali wedi hen arfer gyda golau’r goleudy yn fflachio’n rheolaidd bob nos, yn ddi-ffael ac mae’n arferiad ganddi gyfri’r saib rhwng y fflachiadau. Mae’n siŵr fod ‘na gysur i’w gael o wybod ei fod o yno bob nos. Ond, un noson fe sylweddola Mali nad yw’r goleudy wedi ei oleuo, sy’n beth rhyfedd dros ben...


Ar unwaith fe aiff Mari i nôl ei Mam, a gyda'i chyfaill, Dylan, fe aiff y tri ar frys i ymchwilio beth sydd o’i le. Mae lluniau Andrew Whitson yn cyfleu cyffro a brys y tywydd garw a’r tonnau tymhestlog yn effeithiol. Cyn hir, fe ddarganfyddant fod Gerallt, ceidwad y goleudy wedi cael pwl o salwch. Tybed fydd Mali a’i chriw yn gallu cyd-weithio i achub y dydd? (neu’r nos i fod yn hollol gywir!)


Mae digon o antur a chyffro i’w gael yn y stori wrth i Mali helpu ceidwad y goleudy a bydd yr elfen o beryg i’r pysgotwyr yn siŵr o sicrhau fod darllenwyr ar dân i gael gwybod os fydd hi’n llwyddiannus ai peidio. Llwydda’r awdur i’n cael ni fel darllenwyr i falio am y cymeriadau. Ond yn fwy ‘na’r antur a’r cyffro, mae’r awdur wedi cyfleu’r gymuned glos sy’n bodoli ar yr ynys yn dda. Mae pawb mor barod yno i helpu ei gilydd ac mae hyn yn neges bwysig i’w rannu â darllenwyr ifanc.


Mae iaith y llyfr yn syml sy’n gwneud stori dda i riant a phlentyn fwynhau amser gwely. Does dim byd brafiach na gwrando ar y gwynt a’r glaw yn chwythu tu allan a chithau’n glyd dan y cynfas!


Dyma stori annwyl a theimladwy am gymuned sy’n dod at ei gilydd pan fo’r angen ac mae digon o gyfleoedd trafod a all ddeillio o’r stori am draddodiadau morwrol fel goleudai a bywyd ar y môr (sydd efallai’n rhywbeth dieithr i blant ifanc heddiw).


Mae’r stori hyfryd a’r lluniau bendigedig yn cyd-fynd i greu llyfr hardd iawn y gellir ei drysori a’i fwynhau dro ar ôl tro. Ydi, mae’r llyfr clawr-caled yn ddrytach na rhai llyfrau eraill cymharol, ond mae’n lyfr o ansawdd uchel ac yn werth y gost ychwanegol yn fy nhyb i. Y newyddion da yw bod mwy o lyfrau i chi fwynhau yn y gyfres yma...


 

Having been raised in the medieval town of Conwy on the North Wales coast, I’ve always felt a strong connection to the sea. Every day whilst travelling to work, I can see the Penmon Lighthouse standing proud between Puffin Island and Anglesey as a guardian angel to seamen. It was therefore hardly surprising that a book based around the sea was going to immediately appeal. Also, there’s just something wonderous about lighthouses in general – don’t you think?


Firstly, I must mention the cover and artwork contained inside. Andrew Whitson’s illustrations are rich, textured and pleasing to the eye. There is depth to his work and I'm sure children will enjoy studying the pictures closely and immersing themselves in Mali’s maritime world. After reading the story the first time, I went back for a second glance and those wonderful pictures. They almost remind me of a Disney Pixar animation.


Spread from 'Mali a'r Goleudy' illustrations by (c) Andrew Whitson, words by (c) Malachy Doyle, published by Graffeg.

Mali is accustomed to the lighthouse sending out it’s powerful beams of light regularly each night. She normally counts the space of time before the next flash, and she knows it will be there, come rain or shine. I think she derives comfort from this. One night, things take a most unexpected turn... the lighthouse does not shine. Very strange indeed.


Mali goes to fetch her Mum at once, and together with her friend, Dylan, they urgently go to investigate the cause. Andrew Whitson's pictures convey the excitement, urgency and the harsh weather conditions very well. They soon discover that Gerallt, the lighthouse keeper, has been taken ill, and they must help by working together to achieve a successful outcome for Mali’s Father, a local fisherman. Will they manage to save the day? (or night to be more accurate!)


There’s plenty of adventure and excitement to be found in the story as Mali & co fight to re-start the lighthouse. The mild element of peril to the fishermen will be sure to engage readers who will be keen to find out what happens. The writer expertly gets us emotionally invested in the story but more than this, he conveys the close-knit community that exists on the island. Everyone is on hand to help each other in times of need and this is an important message to share with young readers.


The language of the book is simple and makes a good story for a parent and child to enjoy at bedtime. There’s nothing cosier and more relaxing than snuggling up under the covers listening to the heavy rain and howling wind blowing outside.


This is a lovely story about a small community that comes together when required and there’s plenty of discussion opportunities that can arise from the reading. Perhaps lighthouses in general will be unfamiliar to younger children? Mali is a brave and resourceful character, but the main message here is teamwork.


The lovely story and the wonderful pictures go hand in hand to create a very beautiful hardback book that can be cherished and enjoyed time and again. Yes, hardbacks are a bit pricier than your average children’s book – but the quality look and feel makes it worth it in my view. The good news is that there are more books in this series for you to enjoy…


 

Cyhoeddwr/publisher: Graffeg

Cyhoeddwyd/published: July 2020

Pris: £12.99

Ffurf/fformat: Hardback

 

AM YR AWDUR A'R ARLUNYDD



Mae dros gant o lyfrau Malachy Doyle wedi cael eu cyhoeddi, o lyfrau bwrdd i'r plant lleiaf i nofelau afaelgar i ddarllenwyr yn eu harddegau. Mae wedi ennill nifer o wobrau pwysig, ac mae ei lyfrau wedi'u cyfieithu i ryw ddeg ar hugain o ieithoedd. Yn ogystal â'r ddwy stori flaenorol yng nghyfres Mali, Mali a'r Môr Stormus a Mali a'r Morfil, rhai o'i deitlau diweddar eraill yw Miracle of Hanukkah, Rama and Sita, Jack and the Jungle a Big Bad Biteasaurus (Bloomsbury), Fug and the Thumps (Firefly), Cinderfella (Walker Books) a Ootch Cootch (Graffeg), wedi'i ddarlunio gan ei ferch, Hannah Doyle.



Daw Andrew Whitson o Belfast ac mae'n artist arobryn sy'n hoffi cael ei alw'n Mr Ando! Mae Mr Ando wedi darlunio dros ugain o lyfrau o dan ei enw ei hun. Y diweddaraf o'r rhain yw llyfrau cyfres Mali gyda Malachy Doyle, a chyfres arobryn Rita, sef llyfrau stori-a-llun, gyda Myra Zepf.


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR



Malachy Doyle has over 100 children's books published by leading English, Welsh and Irish publishers, from picture books to teenage novels. His work has been translated into 27 languages and he is a previous winner of the Tir na n-Og Award (Georgie), the Nestle Children's Book Award (The Dancing Tiger), the English Association Award for Non-Fiction (Cow) and many other awards in the UK and USA.



Andrew Whitson has illustrated books on various aspects of Irish mythology including The Creatures of Celtic Myth, The Field Guide to Irish Fairies and The Dark Spirit. In 2011, Andrew received the Bisto honorary award for book illustration.


 

LLYFRAU ERAILL YN Y GYFRES/ OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:


  • Mali a’r môr Stormus

  • Mali a’r Morfil

  • Mali a’r Cloi Mawr

  • Mali a’r Goleudy

 

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